"Go for It"
- joannalatalacello
- Jul 7
- 6 min read
Updated: Aug 25
As professional musicians, the pressure to deliver exceptional performances is a constant companion. Each time we step onto the stage, we are called upon to balance technical mastery with emotional authenticity.
One powerful method for thriving in these high-stakes moments is the "Go for It" approach. This strategy emphasizes decisiveness, commitment, and boldness, encouraging performers to channel their preparation into moments of unshakeable confidence. By embracing this mindset and integrating it into your practice and performance, you can unlock your potential and deliver extraordinary musical experiences.
Understanding "Go for It"
"Go for It" is the embodiment of full commitment to action. It requires silencing doubts and stepping boldly into the moment, trusting that your preparation will carry you through. For musicians, this means playing with conviction, delivering each note and phrase with clarity and purpose. As Timothy Gallwey explains in The Inner Game of Tennis, our greatest performances emerge when we quiet the overactive mind and allow our trained instincts to shine. "Go for It" taps into this principle by encouraging performers to trust their abilities and take decisive action.
In moments of hesitation, "Go for It" becomes a reminder that boldness often leads to brilliance. It is about replacing fear with focus and using every ounce of your energy to bring the music to life. This approach is not about recklessness but rather a clear and deliberate commitment to the task at hand.
Be willing to take a risk. Remember, there is no security in life. There is only adventure.
Mind Gym by Gary Mack
The Psychology Behind "Go for It"
The power of "Go for It" lies in its ability to override the natural tendency toward self-doubt. When under pressure, the brain often enters a fight-or-flight mode, triggering thoughts of inadequacy or fear of failure. "Go for It" interrupts this cycle by shifting your mindset to one of purpose and confidence.
This method also leverages the power of positive visualization and mental rehearsal. By imagining yourself succeeding, you prime your mind and body to execute flawlessly. The "Go for It" approach transforms fear into fuel, turning nerves into an asset rather than a liability.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take."
— *Wayne Gretzky, citiation in: Bob Rotella – Golf Is Not a Game of Perfect
Exercises to Practice "Go for It"
To internalize the "Go for It" mindset, musicians must practice stepping boldly into their performances, both in the practice room and on stage. Below are exercises designed to cultivate this powerful approach:
One-Take Practice: Select a challenging piece or passage and commit to playing it from start to finish without stopping, regardless of mistakes. The goal is to practice pushing through and maintaining focus, reinforcing the habit of committing fully. ( Performance Practis - Read more HERE)
Visualization Drills: Spend time before practice or performance visualizing yourself playing with confidence and precision. Picture every detail, from stepping onto the stage to delivering a captivating performance. This mental rehearsal prepares you to embrace boldness when it matters most.
Dynamic Experiments: During practice, exaggerate dynamics, articulation, or phrasing to explore the limits of your musical expression. Taking these risks trains you to approach performance with a fearless mindset.
High-Stakes Simulations: Recreate performance conditions during practice by playing for small audiences, recording yourself, or even wearing concert attire. These simulations help you rehearse the "Go for It" mindset in environments that mimic the real stage.
Power Posing: Before performing, spend two minutes in a "power pose," such as standing tall with arms wide. Research shows that this posture can increase confidence and reduce stress hormones, priming you to perform with boldness.
Applying "Go for It" Onstage
Onstage, the "Go for It" approach becomes your guiding principle for navigating the challenges of live performance. Whether delivering a virtuosic cadenza or a delicate pianissimo, this method reminds you to commit fully to every note and gesture.
Strategies for Onstage Success
Anchor Your Focus: Before stepping onto the stage, take a moment to breathe deeply and recall your preparation. Focus on the first few measures of your performance, using them as an anchor to build momentum.
Claim the Stage: Walk onto the stage with purpose and confidence, radiating energy and command. Your physical presence sets the tone for your performance.
Embrace Risk: During the performance, if you encounter a challenging passage or unexpected moment, lean into it with full intention. Trust your preparation and let the music flow naturally.
Celebrate the Moment: Shift your focus from internal critique to the joy of sharing music with your audience. This shift in perspective can transform pressure into passion.
Recover Boldly: If mistakes occur, address them with grace and move forward decisively. A strong recovery often leaves a more lasting impression than the mistake itself.
"The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one."
— Elbert Hubbard, quoted in: In Pursuit of Excellence: How to Win in Sport and Life through Mental Training by Terry Orlick
Integrating "Go for It" into Practice
The "Go for It" mindset is not limited to the stage; it must be cultivated daily in the practice room. By consistently rehearsing boldness and commitment, you can ensure that this approach becomes second nature.
Daily Commitment Runs: Start each practice session with a complete run-through of a piece, playing as if it were a live performance. Use this time to focus on committing fully to your interpretation.
Risk-Taking Challenges: Set aside time to experiment with new ideas, such as unusual phrasing or unexpected tempo shifts. Embrace the creative risks and evaluate their impact on your playing.
Performance Journaling: After practice or performance, journal about moments when you embraced the "Go for It" mindset. Reflect on how it influenced your playing and identify areas for further growth.
Balanced Preparation: Pair technical work with expressive practice, ensuring that your foundation supports confident interpretation. The more secure your technique, the easier it becomes to "Go for It."
Celebrate Progress: Acknowledge and celebrate moments of boldness in your practice, no matter how small. This reinforces the value of commitment and builds momentum over time.
Be Free In Your Head, Be Free In Your Shots, The Brave Will Be Rewarded
-Roger Federer
My Experience
Since we practice all day, every week, and every month to be ready for our concert, a thought stays in our mind: it would be best to have everything under control. But if we stay with that mindset, the magic will not appear. Maybe it will be a good performance, maybe everything will work out technically and musically as planned. But there will still be a feeling of disappointment—because music is an art, a beauty that comes with magical moments.
It’s something we cannot control. It comes from outside, reaching your soul as a performer and touching the soul of the audience. When the performer truly goes for it, small technical or musical mistakes become invisible because the magic of music lifts everything.
People come to a concert with one hope—they want to feel something. They want to forget about their lives, problems, pains, and bad thoughts. For those few minutes, they want to experience the beauty of music, of life, of the world. Sticking rigidly to a plan will not achieve that. You cannot open yourself and your music that way.
"Going for it" is an act of trust—trust in your ability, in your work, and most of all, in your intention to show people the most beautiful thing in this world: music. At least for me, that’s what it is. That is why I play the cello—because I have found nothing more touching than music, and I want to share its beauty with as many people as I can in my life.
For the past few months, I have been attending a prayer group in my town. The structure of these meetings is simple: first, we read a passage from the Bible. Then, we try to explain its meaning, followed by sharing our personal thoughts and feelings about it. The final step is simply being in silence with the text.
"Going for it" is like that fourth step. First, you read the music. Then, you study it deeply, trying to understand what’s inside. Next, you add your own ideas—phrasing, tone color, articulation, etc. And finally, you go on stage—and you have to trust the moment. Without that trust, music is just a sequence of notes and sounds in a particular order. But music is not about that.
The "go for it" strategy is a decision—a decision to change. And making that change is not easy. At first, you may fall. But later, you start to fly. So, it is definitely worth trying.
Conclusion
As musicians, our ability to captivate an audience depends not only on technical skill but also on our capacity to perform with conviction and authenticity. The "Go for It" approach empowers us to embrace boldness, transform fear into confidence, and connect deeply with our music and listeners. By practicing this mindset daily and applying it both in the practice room and on stage, we can unlock new levels of artistry and performance excellence.
Remember, great performances are not born from hesitation but from the courage to fully commit. So the next time you step onto the stage, take a deep breath, trust your preparation, and go for it with everything you have.
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If you would like to read more about the "go for it"- method, I encourage you to read the book :The Champion’s Mind: How Great Athletes Think, Train, and Thrive
by Jim Afremow
